Final Fantasy X: Eternal Return
by Edweirdo92
Summary: After a calm that lasted a generation Sin has returned and is more powerful than ever. Tavist is a half Guado, half Al Behd, former New Crusader and clairvoyant who has just returned to Luca after eight years for the funeral of his adopted mother. He never intended on becoming a Summoner, but he cannot refuse when the Fayth begin to call to him.
1. Chapter One The Awakening Part I

**I.**

Tavist had not been in the city for thirty minutes and already he found himself walking toward a guard post with trepidation. It had had been eight years since he was in his second home, Luca, and most believed that he was dead.

"Excuse me," he said in his low voice, rapping on the door of the post, a garrison on the wall that looked out toward the Mi'ihen Highroad that Tavist had come from. "Excuse me." He repeated knocking again, but harder.

"What's that?" A man with tanned skin and broad shoulders wearing the yellow and purple uniform of the city guard said, looking Tavist over wildly as he exited his post. "Spot a fiend have you?"

He looked Tavist up and down, and no doubt he was quiet a sight: tall and pale as the moon, with long arms and short legs, he wore black leather britches on top mail, that you could see through in the places his pants were ripped, and had black leather boots on, that tied with a silver cord at the top. Standard issue of the New Crusade, and so far they had lasted eight years. On his chest he wore a metal breast plate, slightly rounded between his ribs, dyed in blocks of color diagonally, cobalt at the bottom, coming into silver enameled with red vine surrounding the sigil of the New Crusade, the heart of Spira, topped with steel the color of purple fluorite crystal. Attached to his breastplate a mantel, with two silver swirled ornamental broaches that a short emerald cloak hung from. Over his pink lips he still wore a black veil that he had taken to wearing once he started traveling alone. The most eye catching piece Tavist wore, despite his display of colors, was his headdress: made of a beaded cyan band, that matched the color of his wiry tree branch like hair, with a single large blood red amethyst in the center and steel tree branches that wove in with and extend pass his hair.

"I'm looking for my brother." Tavist said, remembering finally to pull down his veil and show his face. A gesture that instantly made the guard feel more at ease.

"Your brother?" The guard repeated slowly as if Tavist might not understand him. "A Guado? Not many of them here in Luca." He shrugged.

Tavist smiled and held his breath, this was it, now or never. "No." He said pausing a moment. "He is not a Guado. He is your Commander, Lord Zaon, the eldest son of Vania." The guard shot upright. "Perhaps you've heard of me." He said with a bow "I am Vania's _other_ son, Tavist."

The guard looked his once over again. "To be quiet sure," He said under his breath marching around Tavist. "Sorry M'lord I did not recognize you."

"There is no need for such formality," Tavist said shaking it off. "I only ask that you help me find my brother."

The guard motioned Tavist to follow him. "Of course, he'll be in the harbor already, you're cutting it close you know. The service will begin with a sending at sunset." His words were solemn. "But, I guess you did rise from the dead to be here." The guard laughed at his own joke.

"I assure you I was never dead," Tavist said as he followed the guard, "Even though there were plenty of times when I wished I was." He said more to himself wondering if based on the knot in his stomach this was going to be one of those moments too.


	2. Part II

**II.**

At first it was panic that spread across Zaon's face, but he quickly changed his disbelief into a grin that literally went from ear to ear, and regained his composure. "Still nineteen I see, _little_ brother." Zaon mocked as he made his way toward Tavist. "Damnit I thought you were dead!" He sounded mad, but if he was the look on his face did not betray it. He hugged Tavist tightly. "I thought you were dead!" He repeated squeezing tighter.

"Well, you don't look any different." Zaon restated, snapping out of his daze at once, as he looked Tavist over again.

"Nor do you." Tavist spook at last, a bit sheepishly. It was true, Zaon was just as Tavist had remembered: the tallest man in the room, though his shoulders were not particularly broad, with messy black hair that covered his forehead, and eyes that were the cold color of ice, as fearsome as they were handsome. The slight lines that were now around those eyes were the only indication that it had been six years since they had seen one another. His lips were pouty and full, but perhaps a touch to wide, and when he grinned, as he was now, they stretched the entire length of his face. He wore little more than the guard uniform that the men who served him wore: combat boots, loose white trousers, and a purple and yellow tunic over mail, with black gauntlets. Zaon wore no mantle, as the others did, but instead the brown leather strap that hugged him around his shoulders and chest and harnessed his patented folding bill. The weapon came jutting out from both of his shoulders, the tradition Rhonso bill on one side, with a custom cyan inlay, that matched the headdress Tavist wore now. At the base of the blade, just below the lower parrying wings were two vibrant red phoenix feathers. From the other side came the folded base of weapon, where small tree branches made of steel, also matching Tavist's headdress, appeared as if they were growing from the wood of the weapon. Dangling from Zaon's hip was his infamous eight shot crossbow; which rumor had that he had never had to use the eighth bolt, though Tavist knew this to be merely a figure of speech.

"You are kind." Zaon responded. "I wish we had more time to catch up, but I have some business to attend to upon the ship Bane before this evenings ceremony." He was still smiling.

"Yes, of course," Tavist said feeling disappointed. "Will you have time to meet before the ceremony?"

Zaon thought a moment; "Actually, to tell you the truth I could use company now." He cleared his throat. "Vania was a one woman army, and I am _trying_ to tend to her duties in the mean time. Trying being the operative word." He laughed at himself. "On top of being insurmountable it is lonely, would you care to join me?"

"Of course." Tavist said without hesitation. "I know how harrowing the solitary life can be, especially amongst such a vast group of people."

Zaon stared at Tavist for a moment longer, his expression unchanged. "I cannot believe that it is you, we were told that you—"

"Died on the beaches at Mushroom Rock." Tavist finished for him looking away. "Sometimes I still wish that I had." He took a breath. "I wonder why I was spared, why no one else on that beach had my luck…" He knew that there wasn't anything to be said to such a statement. "I took to solitary life for a time, returned to the Farplane, worked as an attendant again."

"You've done that before?" Zaon asked, knowing the answer, but not knowing what else to say.

"Yes." Tavist responded. "I've taken up the name Dab, in tribute to my birth sister, and worked as a clairvoyant."

"But now here you are, donning your best armor." Zaon observed. "It would appear that you are playing the part of warrior once again." He said pointing to the basket hilted bastard swords on both of Tavist's hips.

"No." Tavist said trailing off. "I'm trying to play the role of son."

Zaon put his hand on Tavist's shoulder, his grip firm. "She loved you just as much as she loved me. To Vania, you were her son." He gave an uneasy laugh that did not belong. "She would have liked to have seen you I am sure."

"She has seen me." Tavist responded ominously.

Zaon only gave the same uneasy laugh; he had never put too much stake in Tavist's connection to the spirit world or any kind of magic really. "Let's be off to the ship." He said his eyes still fixed on Tavist.

"In my mother's place I have thrown my support behind her chief of security Luluna." Zaon told Tavist as the smaller man worked to keep up. "But, it is not up to me alone, the whole of the city council will vote and there are three people who seem to be in contention."

"I should hope Luluna is one of them." Tavist said.

"She is."

"Then who are the other two?" Tavist asked

"Myself, _naturally_ I am Vania's heir in most all other things why not this city too." Zaon said with contempt.

"And you do not wish to be mayor?" Tavist surmised.

"No." Zaon said quickly, "And I will urge all those who would vote for me to vote for Luluna."

" _Naturally_." Tavist smirked.

" _Naturally_." Zaon mocked Tavist not realizing he had been mocked first.

"This is the ship of the Commander of the New Crusade Fleet in Luca, Bane." Zaon continued as the ship came into sight. "Captain Dax, he likes to be called." Zaon scoffed. "Though I hear now he is a Vice Admiral of the whole bloody New Crusade."

"Dax is short for Daxter?" Tavist asked, thinking that it could not be the same person.

"I am not sure." Zaon thought for a moment. "I never thought that it was short for anything, he seems quiet the peasent; but, I guess you never know." Zaon shrugged.

 _It can't be him._ Tavist told himself again as they made their way up the boarding dock of the ship Bane.


	3. Part III

**III.**

The Captain greeted them on the deck of the ship. Tavist instantly felt panicked because it was indeed his childhood friend, Daxter, who had been raised alongside him for the first four years that he was at the orphanage in Guadosalm. He hadn't changed much, still lean and tall. His blond hair cut short on the sides while he allowed a few lightly curled poufs to sprout atop his head. He had a square jaw and deep set amethyst colored eyes with pouty lips and a straight nose, that might not have been as straight as it once was. He wore a basic New Crusade Uniform, with some modification. Black leather boots, navy blue shorts, tight just below the knee and more loose going up to the waistband; his shorts deviated from this combat brethren in that there were several cutouts in symbols of the Fayth. His white cotton button up shirt was tucked into the shorts showing his slight frame, that had gold buttons with black inlay of more symbols of the Fayth. The sword on his back was almost comical, the blade must have been five feet long, with the basic hilt of a Rhonso spear pointed broadsword, resting diagonally across his back, the brown leather strap that harnessed the weapon pulled his shirt tighter to his chest.

"Captain Dax." Zaon spoke first taking his gloved hand from behind his back to shake the Captains.

Dax only smiled and looked to Tavist. "It cannot be, Tavist of Macalania Temple?"

Tavist had been born at the Macalania Temple where his mother, an Al Behd, worked with the priest there, his father, a guado, to restore the Fayth at the temple. They were both killed by Sin in the attack that followed their success. "The very same." Tavist replied smiling back, though feeling uneasy. He gave a slight bow.

"I thought we were closer to one another than slight bows and curtsies." Dax said sounding almost hurt as he pulled Tavist in for a hug. "We were brothers once, you and I." He said holding him for a moment while flashing a cunning look toward Zaon, almost as if he had just been handed some advantage.

"Quiet the day of reunions." Zaon said sighing and shooting the same venomous look right back at Dax.

"I heard you were slain on Mushroom Rock." Dax said ignoring Zaon further.

"The beaches of Mushroom Rock." Tavist corrected him, "And yet, here I stand." He held his arms out to show that he was whole. "The Fayth did not yet need me as their own." He said glumly.

"Praise be to Yevon!" Dax exclaimed in a tone that Tavist could not tell if it was mocking or not. "When we were kids I knew you would have a talent for magic, the Guado blood in you is so strong." Dax was still smiling looking Tavist in the eyes and making him all the more uncomfortable. "But, I never thought you would turn out to be a warrior."

"Proved you wrong didn't he?" Zaon spoke up asserting himself into the conversation. "Trained on Kimahri Rock, atop Mount Gagazet by Khishen Rhonso, in Feral style no less." He spoke matter of factly.

"Another history lesson?" Dax said sounding bored. "You know I was trained on Mount Gagazet too." He said not sounding at all impressed. "But, by Rhengar Rhonso. Do you think I did not notice that you both carry weapons of the Rhonso?" He sounded insulted, but then started to laugh. "Don't we make an interesting trio?" He said in an attempt to defuse the situation. "Of course," He added, "Anything that I am involved in is interesting, isn't that quiet right Lord Commander?"

Zaon grunted pursing his lips.

"Vice Admiral of the Fleet?" Tavist asked sounding impressed, making an attempt of his own to break the tension.

"Indeed." Dax said showing off his ship. "Welcome to Bane the first ship in the fleet, manned by two hundred well trained men, the only fear of Sin to ride the waves."

"Sin fears nothing." Tavist said gravely.

"It's more a—"Dax started, taking his turn to feel uncomfortable. "What brings aboard my ship today Lord Commander?" He looked to Zaon changing the subject.

"Right." Zaon responded with a sly look on his face. "I am here to talk to you about Vania's successor."

"This again?" Dax said sounding disappointed.

"We feel it is crucial for Luluna to succeed Vania in these trying times." Tavist spoke up. "I marched the Mi'hen Highroad to get here and it is crawling with fiends and Apostles alike. Soon Luca will need to be protected by more than just sea." He gave a sideways glance to Zaon, apologizing for hijacking his negotiations.

"So my men report." Dax said nodding his head. "Speaking of men, I have four thousand in the fleet, I can bring ships to anchor and send some of them to your walls if you need. We _are_ capable of protecting more than the sea."

"Posturing yourself to secure the Highroad as well?" Zaon asked defiantly. "I will not allow a man who is still under the employee of the New Crusade to take control of this city."

Again Dax laughed. "Nor would they allow me to take control of your city. Besides why would I want to reside of a city so small when I can soon be Admiral of more than just the fleet here in Luca?"

"If your ambitions are higher then why offer men to fight on land?" Zaon asked.

"The Apostles have no navy, from anywhere in the city my men can be back to their ship in five minutes or less. I was tasked with defending this city, I plan to do so from all foes." He leaned in while he spoke.

"His intentions seem pure, ambitious, but pure." Tavist added. "We came to make sure he would not try for Vania's spot, and he says he will not." Tavist looked to Zaon. "Maybe he will pledge his support and supporters to Luluna?" He looked back to the Captain.

"If that is what the Lord Commander wishes of me." Dax said once again locking eyes with Tavist.

"That would please him very much." Tavist responded sounding a bit dazed. "Now, we must return to some grieving."

"Yes, I know Vania was your mother too." Dax said. "Before you return to the Farplane come see me again."

"I will." Tavist said sounding uncertain.

"Promise?"

"Yes."

With that Zaon and Tavist set out back down the dock and toward the harbor.

"I don't trust him?" Zaon said once they were a distance from the ship. "Doesn't he make you uneasy?" He asked still sounding angry.

"No," Tavist said defensively. "Why would you say that?"

"How long has it been since you've seen him?" Zaon raised a thin jet-black eyebrow.

"Maybe fifteen years." Tavist said thinking about it.

"Yet he knows so much of your coming and goings. Tell me, did you know he was Vice Admiral of the New Crusade fleet, or even a New Crusader?" Zaon pressed.

"No." Tavist admitted. "But," He said after thinking for a moment, "He was raised by Rhengar Rhonso, the Spymaster of the New Crusade, he is bound to know more than he should on all subjects."

"Like the condition of the Highroad?" Zaon asked with apprehension

"Exactly." Tavist said not picking up on Zaon's jealousy or unease. "You should feel lucky that you have such a skilled man watching your back. You may come to praise his skills in secrecy and over attaining knowledge."

"Only time will tell." Zaon responded coldly. "Until that day I should like to keep him at more than an arms distance."

"And that is your choice." Tavist said quickly. "Sunset is not for another hour or so, lets eat before we go to the ceremony."

Zaon smiled, happy to have the subject changed, as he was starting to feel as if Tavist was taking Daxter's side. "Of course, but you do know the whole city will feast after the ceremony?"

"Yes," Tavist said weakly, "But I always feel uncomfortable eating in front of so many people." They both laughed as they made there way through the city and to Zaon's house near the center of the city.


	4. Part IV

**IV.**

The sun was shimmering off of the water as the citizens of Luca threw flowers into the bay to honor their slain leader, who had died doing what she did best: protecting them. There were loud sobs even before the young female Summoner began to walk out on the water, her bare feet floating onto of the illuminated waves as if it contained too much salt. She extended her arms; already the sound of crying was dimming to the sound of people singing the Hymn of the Fayth.

 _Pray to Yu Yevon._ They began to sing as the Summoner began the dance that would remove Vania's spirit from this world forever, and prevent her from turning into a fiend that would grow to terrorize the city she fought to valiantly to keep safe. _Dream, Fayth._

For Tavist it was a beautiful and necessary moment, but it was so final. _Forever, and Ever._ He knew, that this was what would bring her to the Farplane. He remembered trying to summon her there, trying to have just a glimpse of her; because he could not believe that she was gone. She never appeared, and he foolishly held on to hope, never thinking once of the Sending Ceremony. _Grant us prosperity._

A single tear rolled down his pale cheek as the crowd repeated the verse and the New Crusade Ships far out, securing the bay, fired a round of blanks in memorial of the fallen mayor of Luca. Zaon looked to Tavist and whipped the tear from his eye, pulling the smaller man toward him in a sideways hug.

They said nothing, and while Zaon was not crying Tavist could feel the great sorrow radiating from within his body, and where their bodies touched the sadness gripped Tavist from within like a frigid cold, all the way to his bones.

The water swirled and rose around the Summoner, lifting her high into the final beams of light that would bless the day. Tavist seen no point in hiding his tears now, he let them fall freely saying his last goodbye to Vania.

Waves came crashing in all at once, and at first it seemed like it was part of the Sending, but then a great vine tentacle reached out from below the water, the flowers thrown in by the citizens of Luca had swirled and formed into a great mass of a fiend; many of its appendages quickly wrapped around the summoner, her young pretty face already blue and lifeless.

"Fiends!" Someone shrieked before the chaos ensued.

Tavist and Zaon stayed near one another, both of them drawing their weapons. Zaon was surveying the harbor with a solemn look on his face. Their backs were touching, but Tavist no longer felt the cold of his sadness.

"Apostles." Zaon said as he struck down the first fiend, a crab like creature from the water, with the blade of his spear.

Tavist unleashed a bolt of thunder from the tip of the sword in his right hand, frying another crab like creature as it came from the water. "How can you tell he asked?"

Zaon pointed up, "They're on the wall."

Tavist's eyes shot up toward the wall that separated the city from the harbor, and there they were. Where Zaon's own men had been not thirty minutes before stood a number of Apostles, though some were dropping down from the wall to flank the citizens who tried to escape the harbor.

"They mean to overrun the harbor and keep us trapped in here." Zaon observed. He directed his attention to the water. "More and more coming." He said pointing out to the largest of Fiend's that had killed the Summoner. "And even with Captain Dax's ships coming in." The New Crusade Ships were approaching rapidly. "They'll have to get around that thing."

It did not look good to Tavist. "What do you purpose?" He asked the more experienced commander Zaon.

"We make for the gate and break through, we have to get as many of these people to safely as we can." Zaon responded without much thinking.

Tavist nodded, zapping another crab like fiend as it approached. "For the gate then." He said as they set off through the crowd, taking down any fiends that came close enough to them. As they drew nearer Zaon pulled his crossbow and was rapidly firing and reloading it picking the Apostles from the top of the wall. Tavist followed suit and channeled twin bolts through the tips of his swords, the current passing through three enemies before it dissipated.

Two screamers leaped from the wall for Tavist, but Zaon was too quick, he heaved one clear in half before he had even landed, and came at the surviving one with such a flurry of spear jabs, that he was run through a dozen times before he even thought to counter, and by then he was bleeding out.

"This seems too easy!" Zaon called to Tavist.

Tavist looked over his shoulder and seen that the New Crusade had engaged with the big fiend, and that the crab like fiends were now swarming the decks of the ships in the harbor. "Let's finish them while we can!" Tavist called back.

He directed his blades points high on the wall and with a howl of concentration large flames grew from the blades until they formed a single fifteen-foot long flame that swept over the wall like water on a beach. The remaining Apostles either perished in shrieking agony or fled down the other side of the wall.

"Move now!" Zaon's voice boomed over the crowd. "Flee the harbor to safety!" He shouted as people rushed for the opening back toward the city.

The sudden influx of people was so great the crowd at the entrance to the city quickly multiplied and Zaon and Tavist were pulled apart.

As Tavist was pushed back toward the water he felt the blade slip from his left hand and in a panic he lost his balance and was off the side of the dock into the cold clear water.

Underwater there were a great many aquatic fiends that he could see were assisting in attacking the New Crusade vessels from below. They hardly seemed to notice him, nor did the floral fiend, and he had half a mind to swim out to them to try and cut a few down even with only one weapon. Then he felt a firm and large hand pull him from the water as easily as plucking a weed.

Zaon pushed Tavist's second sword into his chest as he propped him up on his feet. "Lost something." He said light heartedly.

"More fiends, in the water." Tavist had not realized how much water he had taken in, nor how out of breath he was. "Things do not look good." He said aloud.

Zaon gave him a stern look for a moment that made Tavist flush in the cheeks. Tavist's mind raced, but so far he did not have any solutions. Desperate and waiting for Zaon to speak he began to look around, thinking that the environment might give him some inspiration. When just a ways out on the deck of the largest New Crusade Ship he spotted Dax, fighting off an overgrown crab like fiend. He somehow knew Tavist was looking at him, because he looked up from the fight and they made eye contact, Tavist's swirling eyes for a moment getting lost in Dax's amethyst colored eyes which appeared to Tavist to be much closer than they really were. Dax gave a crooked smile and nodded pointing to large malfunctioning Machina on the deck of his ship as he made twirling heave that cut the fiend in half and sent both of the new pieces onto the deck of the ship.

"That's it!" Tavist exclaimed. "Get it in the water!" He yelled as loudly as he could to Dax.

"What do you mean?" Zaon asked

There was no time to explain. With a leaping swing Dax clubbed the device in to the clear blue water. Still looking upon one another Tavist dipped both of his swords into the water and using all his concentration he let a great pulse of magical electricity from his body. His muscles all tensed on the constraint of his mana quickly draining, but he knew that he was going to have to push it to the limit if his plan was going to work.

Smoke started to rise from the water and the largest of the fiends wilted and turned to pyre flies as did the smaller fiends who were still trapped in the water. Dax's men began to clear the decks of their ships.

With the same crooked smile on his face Dax called. "Return to Port, secure the harbor!"

The battle at the bay was won, but the battle for the city had only just begun.


	5. Part V

**V.**

"Are you able to continue on?" Zaon asked briskly, already pulling Tavist toward the gate that was now cleared.

"Yes," Tavist said, though in truth he was still confounded. "I just used up all my mana is all." He explained. "I'll be back to normal in no time." But even as he said it his voice faltered.

"No ranged offensive?" Zaon asked another question that he already knew the answer to. "We don't know how overrun the city is, stay close to me."

Tavist took a deep breath and straightened his back. "I'm ready."

Once through the gate and into the actual city, it was quite clear that the Apostles were showing there numbers. There wasn't much time to think before a pack of orange bandersnatch were upon them.

Tavist took a firm step forward, he knew that the fiends supplied themselves on fear, he parried just as the first canine lurched toward him, his blade slid between the creatures eyes and with a twist he rose his second blade and connected with the next two fiends that came upon him. He was aware of Zaon fighting next to him, cleaving through the bandersnatch with ease. Tavist let out a scream as he caught a fiend with both of his swords through the belly, it's face only inches from his own, still rabid and trying to push forward to consume Tavist even as death was inevitable. Tavist cast the beast aside, scarcely aware of the blood that was splattered upon his ghost like face.

The ground beneath Tavist's feet began to erupt with movement, and he searched for its cause. Running toward them full speed was a fully matured Grendal, all charcoal colored, and probably seven feet long, its three great horns pointed in their direction as flames oozed from its mouth.

"Zaon!" Tavist yelled in a panic.

But already the larger man had marked the fiend for death. Gracefully he lunged his bill toward the thing, his lance spiraled through the air with a sharp whistling noise. Tavist could barely see the thin silver chain connected to the base of Zaon's weapon that allowed him to pull it back easily. The spear point sank in between the overgrown fiends eyes. With a strong yank Zaon recalled his lance to its master. There was no time for celebration. Zaon nodded to Tavist's and they pushed forward.

As they rounded the corner that the Brendal had come from Zaon sniped at the bird like fiends known as Alcyone that were bobbing up and down pecking at the guards who were trying to secure the street. It was the first time they saw any of Luca's City Guard fighting the Apostles. It was heartening to know that they were not in this alone.

Once the fiend's were no longer overhead Zaon began to target the Apostles freeing up as many of his men as he could. "Around me!" He yelled, as he continued to rapidly fire and reload his weapon.

While Zaon worked to secure his men another Apostle crept through the shadows behind the Commander of the City Guard, but as he raised his battle axe Tavist moved to block the strike from connection Zaon's left shoulder.

Tavist and the Apostle collided with a fury that sent vibrations down both of his arms. They dueled, but only for a moment, in the flurry of exchanges Tavist's could tell this warrior would best him and so with all of his will he let a pulse of electricity out from his body, quickly depleting the mana he has so far managed to regain. His adversary twitched and tensed up, Tavist did not waste a moment plunging his left blade clear through the man's heart, he watched the life drain from the Apostles dull grey eyes and felt a kind of sadness.

"We march for the cities center." Zaon ordered as Tavist fell in next to him. "No fiend survives!"

The cities center was a circular marketplace that had five entrances one of which being the only path to the main gate of the famous Luca Blitzball Stadium, that had stood for more than three hundred years.

A rather large Bashura approached, purple and ten feet tall with four great furry arms that were bigger around than Tavist's waist; it bashed it's two lowest fists into the ground, it's face pulsating red in a berserker rage.

"Hold." Zaon said calmly.

The fiend seemed to have the same notion. Tavist watched as it stared Zaon down, a great hunger for blood in its eyes. Then the Apostles started to rank up around it, almost like it was the one giving the orders, though Tavist's knew that no fiend was so intelligent to do so.

"Archers." Zaon called, readying his own crossbow.

Tavist searched within himself for the power to summon an element to fling at the enemy, but he couldn't feel enough of the energy required. Even still, he was not without a hope in the battle, though he would have felt safer if he could also depend on his magical ability.

The screams started almost at once as the men collided. Zaon and two of other men charged the Bashura together. Before any of them even dealt their first blows the fiend has stricken down the man to Zaon's left. Tavist's felt fear swell in his gut, but there was no time as an opponent of his own stepped up.

Before him stood a female Apostle crouched low with two bloodied axes in her hands. Her black robe was torn and bloodied, though Tavist could not tell if it was her own. Her eyes had the same bloodlust that she had seen in the fiend, it chilled his bones as they circled around one another.

The sound of metal on metal rang all through the battle, but none was as loud as the dual wielders facing off. Rapidly Tavist attempted blow after blow pushing her back and not giving her time to attempt to strike back, only defend. As he noticed she was overwhelmed he spun his blades inward and up and disarmed the woman's right hand, she fumbled backwards and he delivered a sidekick to her chest, she recoiled back, but quickly recomposed herself.

"Fancy sword play," She said in an accent that sounded like she might have come from Kilika. "But," She said taking a step forward, "Do you play with magic?" A ball of fire escaped from her hand and Tavist batted it away with his blade just in time to avoid the attack, though the heat of it already had him sweating.

He dodged more fireballs, rolling away from some, and striking others down with his swords, but she was a persistent mage and did not let up. In the distance he could see that Zaon was playing the same dance of defense as he dodged strong blows from the Bashura. This motivated Tavist, he could feel his mana had rebuilt itself somewhat, but he did not want to waste it on the black mage before him.

"Enough!" He cried as he effortlessly twirled both of his swords and his body in a whirlwind that sent her attack hurling back at her, throwing her back several feet as she let out a scream of pain.

Briskly Tavist moved toward Zaon and the Bashura, cutting down another Apostle on his way. Despite their initial disadvantage in numbers the City Guard seemed to be managing reasonably, aside from the overpowered fiend who was engaging their commander.

Just as Tavist was in range Zaon rolled out of the way from the fiend smashing down with all four fists with some much force that the pavement under it sank into a crater. Tavist stopped dead in his tracks and pointed the tips of his blades toward the fiend a ball of ice larger than a blitz ball forming between then, with a nudge he released the spell with so much force that he was pushed back himself. It hit its target, shattering upon impact and cutting the fiend all over as well as knocking it down creating another crater.

Zaon saw the opportunity and lunged forward delivering several fatal wounds to it with the tip of his bill. He looked over his shoulder and flashed thanks in his cold eyes that quickly turned to what could have been terror.

Turning Tavist saw the thing and knew at once what it was. Not ten feet away was a monstrous beast, the size of a small ship, made of dirt and molten rock held together by fire. It let out a fearsome roar that made Tavist's sweaty brown shiver with goose bumps. Next to the aeon Ifrit, was its summoner, or dark summoner as the Apostles were called, the woman warrior who had wielded the axes, a look of defiant concentration on her face that turned to a devious smirk when she locked eyes with Tavist.


End file.
